March 31, 2012

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ROUND ROCK, TEXAS -

Led by the stellar pitching of senior right-hander Matt Flemer and the outstanding hitting of Darrel Matthews and Chadd Krist, the Cal baseball team turned the tables on No. 18-ranked Texas, routing the Longhorns, 12-2, Saturday (March 31) at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas. The victory over Texas came a day after the Golden Bears (15-10) had fallen, 13-3, to the Longhorns (15-10) on Friday. The two teams, which both played in the 2011 College World Series, will now play the rubber match of the three-game non-conference series Sunday, April 1 at 1 p.m. Central Time at Dell Diamond.

Flemer was impressive, throwing a career-high 8.0 innings with eight hits, two runs, on walk and two strikeouts to improve his record to 4-2. Cal out-hit Texas 17-8 with junior outfielder Matthews going a career-best 4-fo-4 with two RBI, and senior catcher Krist going 3-for-5 with a double, a three-run homer and a career-high five RBI. Junior designated hitter Vince Bruno also swung a hot bat, going 3-for-5 with a triple. Senior outfielder Chad Bunting followed Krist's three-run homer in the sixth inning with a solo home run from his team-leading fifth homer of the season.

"It was a great effort by Matt Flemer," said Cal coach David Esquer. "Matt threw strikes and pitched ahead with the lead. He threw great when we had to have it. Our offense also played well and kept the pressure on."

The Bear offense gave Flemer the lead by scoring four runs in the first inning - highlighted by Krist's two-run single - off of Longhorn starter Parker French (3-1), who suffered his first loss of the season (4.1 innings, nine hits, three earned runs, one walk, three strikeouts).

Conversely, Flemer did not give up a hit or a run until the bottom of the fifth inning when Cal already had a 7-0 lead. The Bears put the game out of reach by scoring four more runs in the top of the sixth inning on Krist's three-run homer and Bunting's solo shot. Krist had also led-off the third inning with a double. That double was the eighth of the season and the 54th of Krist's career, placing him third on the all-time Cal career doubles list.

The third game of the Cal-Texas series will be broadcasted on KALX 90.7 FM and KNEW 960 AM, with a David Esquer Pregame Show starting at 10:45 a.m. Pacific Time on Sunday on KNEW.